Agenda item

To receive a report from the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Commissioning and Public Health and the Director of Public Health, giving an overview of the consultation on the proposed changes to infant feeding support, specifically in relation to breast feeding.  The committee is asked to comment on the proposal, noting that comments will be considered as a part of the consultation, and note that the detailed findings of the consultation and subsequent proposal will be presented to the committee for consideration at its meeting in January, prior to a Cabinet Member decision.

Ms W Jeffreys, Locum Consultant in Public Health, was in attendance for this and the following item.

1.                  Mr Scott-Clark introduced the report and advised the committee that the public consultation would end on 3 December and that comments made by the committee would contribute to this. More than 316 responses had been received so far, and all responses received would be analysed following the end of the consultation period. Ms Jeffrey set out the key elements of the service which had been identified as needing improvement, including the initiation of breastfeeding by the maternity service in the first 10 days following birth and the move to the health visitor service beyond 10 days, and the need to avoid a gap between these two services. The proposed new model sought to improve both this and the rate of breastfeeding continuing at 6 – 8 weeks following birth. Mr Scott-Clark and Ms Jeffreys responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following:-

a)    asked about the training given to health visitors in supporting mothers to attempt breastfeeding, and if they would take on this work in addition to other workloads, Ms Jeffreys explained that, while all health visitors were fully trained to support breastfeeding mothers, 36 of them were additionally trained to give specialist support and 4 of the 36 were trained as lactation consultants; 

b)    a view was expressed that some mothers would prefer to see and talk about breastfeeding with a health visitor that they already knew. Health visitors would know the family and be in a better position to advise them;

c)    asked if the birthing unit at Maidstone Hospital had been among the consultees, Mr Scott-Clark confirmed that the consulting midwife there had indeed been a consultee;

d)    concern was expressed that the health visitor service was being asked to deliver more with less resource, as the number of appointments available across the county was being reduced, Ms Jeffreys explained that the arrangement of clinics across the county would be different and, while there would be fewer clinics, there would be more opportunities to engage in a different way.  Mr Carter added that, due to government involvement, the number of health visitors had doubled in the last few years and the health visitor service was confident that it had the capacity to deliver the proposed new breastfeeding support;

e)    new mothers were often given a ‘goody bag’ of products for the first few days with a new baby, and this could include advice and guidance on services available to new mothers, including the health visitor service and support for breastfeeding;

f)     the number of babies suffering from ‘tongue-tie’ had increased in recent years as this condition was now easier to diagnose.  There were two types of tongue-tie, posterior and anterior, and the condition could be corrected by a small operation. Mr Scott-Clark added that the report on breastfeeding scheduled for the committee’s January meeting would include information currently available on tongue-tie, including the prevalence of the condition;

g)    expectant mothers needed to be given advice on breastfeeding before giving birth, as many stayed only a very brief time in hospital after giving birth. At this time a plan could be drawn up to cover the first few weeks and months after giving birth;

h)   Mr Scott-Clark advised that Kent’s statistics for breastfeeding initiation were below the national average and that rates across the county varied. It was important to find out the reason for this and identify areas of good practice and seek to spread this.  A leading midwife was working with the County Council to look into this; and

i)     the titling of the subject as ‘infant feeding’ rather than ‘breastfeeding’ was welcomed as some mothers did not wish to, or were not able to, breastfeed their babies, for a variety of reasons. The support needs of these mothers were also important and should be identified. It was important that those mothers not breastfeeding should not be made to feel they had ‘failed’;

2.            It was RESOLVED that:-

a)    the detailed findings of the consultation be noted and that Members’ comments, set out above, be considered as a part of the consultation; and

b)    the detailed findings of the consultation and subsequent proposal be presented to the committee for consideration at its meeting in January 2018, prior to a formal decision being taken by the Cabinet Member.